#theblankcanvas: Kit and Ace

had such a unique experience the other night.

twelve people local to this vast community that makes up Miami came together for a supper club experience hosted by the retail company, Kit and Ace. the four course dinner was held inside the private underground wine cellar, La Cava - which is a part of the restaurant, La Bottega in Coconut Grove.

the food and wine were exquisite, but the conversation was even better. everybody brought their individual personalities and perspectives to the table. it was refreshing to engage with so many different opinions and have no one disrespected for their specific point of view. i personally enjoyed every person and discussion point of the night!

the supper club is just one of the community oriented ways that Kit and Ace connects with the cities its stores are located in. their first store here in Miami will be located in Coconut Grove. this specific location is headed by shop director, Cristina Menendez, who i was once an intern for with Gen Art and i now consider a friend. Cristina hosted an amazing night and continues to put all her efforts into creating an amazing shop - the interior is curated for and by locals. for example, the lighting sculptures have been made by the talented artist Brookhart Jonquil.

most importantly is the product. Kit and Ace boasts the groundbreaking use of "technical cashmere" that is machine washable - its overall designs are all about "athleisure" wear and being able to take the pieces from running, to running errands, to running late for a date. ha!

(really good article about Kit and Ace in detail, including an interview with the founders, here.)

a huge thank you to Kit and Ace for a beautiful evening and introduction to an awesome company, along with the gift of this Erin Tee. i wish everyone could feel through their computer screens because this shirt melts on your skin. although it looks simple at first, it really has very specific detailing: the overall cut, the seamless armholes, the curved hem, the darts in the back, along with the subtle impressed logo. all is perfection.

below i came up with two easy looks -- it was tough though as this is #theblankcanvas of shirts and i could have made-up a bazillion looks.

FIRST is a look for a casual lunch with the girls, nothing too fussy. paired the top with some high waisted and very flared F21 jeans, some vintage pony hair mules, a gold pendant James Michelle necklace, lilac cross-body Balenciaga purse.

SECOND is a look for a fun happy hour or date night. again simple and chic. tied the back of the top in a little knot because it's a trendy twist and a little more form hugging. paired some loose fitting dirty-pink GAP pants with some peep-toe ZARA heels. added pearl and crystal J.CREW earrings, mix-match gold Madewell bracelets, and a monogrammed leather J.CREW purse. 

let me add that both these looks could have been made to look wildly different just by changing the accessories - goodtimes!

hope you enjoyed my take on the Erin Tee from Kit and Ace. now the countdown begins for the grand opening...

   

a striped duo.

currently, Lyla has a much better wardrobe than I do. as if budgeting my own fashion purchases wasn't hard enough, now I have to include my babes stylish finds too.

so how do I solve this first world problem of having to keep our purchases in a neat budget... we recycle!!!

as seen in these pics: my dress I wore while preggo - once was very snug, now it's a loose shift dress. Lyla first previewed this little outfit around 4months - and she'll continue to wear it until it's just too tight. 

best part about this striped outfit combo: we kinda-sorta match. and let's face it, this fun event won't last that long for me. eventually she'll be telling me how uncool I am, and how I'm too old to shop at F21. 

::sobs pitifully into palms::

WHAT WE WORE!

on me: bow/F21, dress/Target, shoes/Birkenstock

on Lyla: bow/Target, bloomers/Jcrew, shoes/Jcrew

   

neon-neon

had some fun with neon the other day.

honestly, i could just have a closet filled with black, white, & grey. call it a day!
then i would only use color in my accessories -- as seen in these pics posted.

every time i purchase an item (especially shirts) in color they get worn MAYBE once a month. what a waste. i try so hard to build outfits filled with color  and mixed prints -- they just never feel right. #firstworldproblems

lyla, however, loves color. and color loves her. so i am obliged to fill her little closet with the rainbow. hopefully she appreciates it as she grows... can't wait for her to start having an opinion on  what she wears.

"rain boots with a tu-tu, please!"

WHAT WE WORE!
lyla: top/GAP, leggings/Carter's, shoes/FreshlyPicked
me: top/LuckyBrand, jeans/OldNavy (ripped them myself), shoes/Gap (very old), sunnies/RayBan

   

when in the keys.

we love the keys. but then who doesn't?
this year my mom planned a trip during the week of my 30th bday - and it was perfect timing!
if there's one thing i have learned during these past thirty years of life (and it's endless ups and downs) is how family always has your back - they are my most prized possession.
grateful doesn't even begin to describe my feelings.
being with my dad, mom, sister, brother (his cutie GF), my amazing husband & perfect babe was the ultimate way to ring in my 30's.

in other news, when in Islamorada you MUST live in your bathing suit, wear white, and eat breakfast at Bitton Bistro Cafe. #justdoit 

WHAT WE WORE!
on Lyla: hat from Zara, onesie from Gymboree
on Me: sunnies from F21, tshirt from Lucky Brand, sports bra (crop top or sim top) from Fabletics, shorts from Target, clutch from a vendor at The Pinecrest Market, bracelets from PeaceLoveWorld

   

made me think.

the other day i was chatting with someone who brought up the fact that i have a blog. i immediately smiled and explained how it's not really a blog-blog... meaning i don't post as consistently as i should, i write only when i feel passionate about something, and every time i post images of an outfit i secretly hope no one thinks i'm conceited. after all this "blog" of mine is really just a creative outlet when i need one.

all that said -- the previously mentioned friend went on to say how she liked the blog and the outfits i put together. can i just say HOORAY! loved hearing that, especially b/c this girl and i aren't even that close, but getting a compliment from her was really neat and much appreciated!

so this made me think... i haven't posted in a while! honestly, there is not enough time in the day with a baby and other tasks that always require attention way before a silly little blog.

however, today we went to lunch and i got dressed while Lyla was taking a nap. this enabled me to get dressed and snap pics all without being bothered. below is the result. #goodtimes

sunnies: forever21 / shirt: zara / jeans: GAP / shoes: Target / clutch: south africa / necklaces: The Archive (long) & James Michelle (short) / bracelets: PeaceLoveWorld

   

about Crossfit.

this post has been a long time coming. it's one of high regard, personal gains, unity, love, and loads of sweat.

if you have a negative outlook on Crossfit, just take a minute, readjust your train of thought and let me share my point of view. {insert happy face of gratitude here}

about six years ago my brother started going to this "thing" called Crossfit. my brother, at the time, was not super active in many sports at school, made bad nutrition choices, and lacked some self confidence - as most high school freshmen do. he became instantly hooked on Crossfit and had a very noticeable change in his overall demeanor. my mom took immediate notice and before we knew it, my sister and I were on our way to this Crossfit "on ramp" class with her. 

we show up to a random warehouse and "on ramp" class commences. somewhere between the adrenaline rush, loud music, copious amounts of sweat and seemingly endless box jumps, I fell in love. I'm the least athletic person I know, so when the coach asks me if I enjoy working out, I'm quick to respond, "no! but I'm getting married and need to look good!" probably more than he cared to know, but it was all the motivation I needed to give this Crossfit "thing" a shot. my mom was on board and soon my dad was too... my sister decided to stick to her yoga classes with a side of pilates - to each their own. 

so what's the big deal?! over the year that followed my family gained a whole new level of "closeness". almost every weeknight at 7pm we headed to Crossfit Threshold, where we were met by some new physical (and mental) challenges, along with a coach who only saw our individual potential. personally, I was so encouraged by the team environment where everyone said, "YOU GOT THIS! FINISH STRONG!" soon, my fitness level and/or physical shape played no part in how much I suddenly felt I could achieve in and out of the Crossfit box. I believed the voices and I conquered things I never thought I could. I even ran my first 5K which turned into a 10k etc... remember, this is the least athletic person you know speaking. my 50-something year old mom was doing deadlifts and push presses like a champ. my dad and brother had the best head to head competitions... they both found even greater respect for each other. (feeling all warm and fuzzy!)

time has past since those beginning days. life happens and we couldn't all continue to go to classes together or at the same time, but the physical and mental gains never stopped. 

six years later, my brother probably has the coolest testimony about Crossfit. without speaking for him, I just have to express how today he is a different person on the inside and out, for all the right reasons, due to Crossfit and the coaches (and other attending individuals) who invested time in his mental and physical growth. 

to be honest, Crossfit has never been all about the workout for me - although I do appreciate the physical outcome. rather, it's been about how it has changed my mindset. while my family has always been close through our faith and love, we gained another level of relationship through physical activity that pushed our personal limits. and while pushing ourselves we were encouraged by some awesome coaches and teammates.  

so here's to Crossfit. love it or leave it, but I'll take some more double-unders!

incase you were wondering: bag/american eagle, top/crossfit threshold, pants/lululemon, shoes/nike, sunnies/rayban

do you dbrie?

to say i'm proud of my friend is an understatement. life has dealt her some crazy curve balls, but she has overcome each obstacle and pushed forward. she uses her bruises to make herself better, never taking her eyes off her goal of being a designer and owning her own company.... both of these goals have (and continue to) come to fruition. 

honestly, this girl has more creativity in her pinky than most people have in t heir entire bodies. she's so good. 

yes, i might be biased, but just take a look at her work. or maybe you saw her on Deco Drive recently... or maybe you've seen one of her fashion shows... or maybe you own a bathing suit of hers. 

love this dress by Danielle Pinder, owner/creator/designer of dbrie.

{dress: dbrie // wood & gold bracelets: lovestrung // shoes: target}